June 8, 2020
There are friends who pretend to be friends, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
We’ve all lived through a time when being popular was important. Whether it was during middle school, high school, or later, we’re all familiar with the kind of popularity that surrounds a person with so-called friends. Now maybe you weren’t the one at the center of that circle—I know I wasn’t. But what I learned from watching the popular ones was that a lot of those friendships didn’t last. They were based on whatever was considered cool at the time, and when that faded so did the friends.
The true test was the friend who stayed, the one who stuck closer than a brother—or a sister. That person is a real gift from God. We know that from the beginning of time, in the Garden of Eden, God didn’t want humans to be alone. God created for Adam not just a “helper suitable for him” but a best friend. Much later, in the Gospel of John, Jesus calls his disciples friends saying, “You did not choose me, but I chose you.” That’s the key to great friendship. We choose each other. But that doesn’t happen by chance. I like to think God puts the right people in our path to give us strength, help us grow, and enrich our lives every day. So, on this National Best Friends Day, say thank you to that friend who sticks close to you and thank God for the gift of their friendship.
Gina Bridgeman